


are you awake?

by whiplashangel (lotusk)



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Domestic Fluff, Drunk Texting, Drunken Confessions, Excessive Drinking, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, Roommates, Sharing a Bed, Unrequited Love, it was supposed to a be drabble istg, seriously nothing happens in this fic how is it even this long
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-24
Updated: 2019-03-24
Packaged: 2019-11-29 08:37:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18220784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lotusk/pseuds/whiplashangel
Summary: Johnny and Jaehyun have been roommates for two years. But when Johnny drunk texts him a love confession, Jaehyun doesn’t know what to doJohnny Suh4m agoare you awake?please be awake. Im drunk and i need to tell you how much i love you





	are you awake?

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is inspired by this [tumblr post](http://eloqu-ent.tumblr.com/post/109004813048) but mostly it's inspired by johnjae and my overwhelming love for them. 
> 
>  

  
  


 

Jaehyun doesn’t know what wakes him. All he knows is that he’s suddenly sitting up in bed with a desperate need to pee. It has to be the two cups of crappy coffee he’d had after dinner because this is legit the second time he’s woken up to pee tonight. He makes a noise of frustration as he swings his legs off the bed. 

What time is it anyway? He grabs his phone and squints, bleary-eyed, as the screen lights up. It’s..1.56am for fuck’s sake. Unbelievable. Two cups of shitty library café coffee and he suddenly has the nervous bladder of an eighty year-old. Jesus, he’s never having coffee after 6pm.  _ Ever again _ . 

Jaehyun is about to put his phone back down on the table when his brain finally wakes up enough to register the notifications on his lock screen. He stares at the screen and there they are: three different ones stacked on top of each other. And they’re all from the same person. 

  
  


**Johnny Suh** 3m ago

Missed call 

 

**Johnny Suh** 4m ago

2 iMessages

 

**Johnny Suh** 5m ago

Missed call 

  
  


He unlocks the screen and before he knows it, Jaehyun is sitting down on the mattress—all thoughts of his bladder forgotten as he tries to decode what he’s seeing:

 

**Johnny Suh** **Today** 1:51 AM

are you awake?

please be awake. Im drunk and i need to tell you how much i love you

 

_ I need to tell you how much I love you _ . The words are stuck on replay in his head but Jaehyun’s sleep-drugged brain is still struggling to understand what they mean. Johnny and him, they’ve shared an apartment for two years now but they’ve only ever been roommates. Just friends, no benefits—no matter how much Jaehyun has hoped for the benefits part to become a thing since last New Year’s. A very tipsy Johnny had hugged him real tight, like he was never going to let him go. Then, with eyes that were all soft with affection and maybe even tenderness, Johnny had kissed him right on the mouth.  _ Happy New Year, Jaehyunnie _ , he’d said with a goofy grin when the kiss ended. And then they’d been swept away by the tide of merrymaking. There was no chance to process what had happened between them as everyone hugged each other and swayed and sang drunkenly to the melody of  _ Auld Lang Syne _ . 

Jaehyun had thought, no he’d hoped, there might be a shift in the nature of their friendship after that night. But as things turned out, Johnny had crawled out of bed the next day looking extremely hammered and claiming he had no memory of anything that had happened after 11 pm. Sitting up in bed, he’d scratched the back of his neck, frowned and asked if he’d even made it to the part where everyone sang Auld Lang Syne. Jaehyun had been hit by a wave of disappointment. Johnny had no memory of the kiss at midnight. No memory of the hug. No memory of anything at all.

But now Johnny is drunk texting him to tell him how much he loves him? Jaehyun just can’t wrap his head around that. When had Johnny caught feels and how had he hidden them so well? Maybe intoxicated Johnny is the only Johnny who’s upfront about his feelings. Johnny isn’t the type to get blackout drunk. In fact, New Year’s Eve is literally the only time in two years that Jaehyun has even seen his roommate get drunk enough to have a hangover the next day. If Johnny is suddenly texting him impromptu love confessions, he must have consumed enough alcohol to generate quite a heinous hangover. 

Jaehyun shakes off the last traces of sleepiness and stares at his phone again. Maybe he’d dreamed it all up. Maybe Johnny hadn’t just drunk texted him a love confession. Maybe he’s making a huge fuss over a confession that didn’t even happen. Biting his bottom lip, he picks up his phone and activates the screen. Nope. It hadn’t been something Jaehyun dreamt up. The text message is still there. 

What do I do? Do I call him back? But what if he picks up? What if Johnny says oh crap it was all a Big Mistake and the message was for someone else? Jaehyun isn’t sure how he’ll feel about that. He’s not sure how he feels about Johnny one way or the other but he’s pretty sure he doesn’t want to be told that he’s a Big Mistake. 

Okay so maybe calling Johnny is a bad idea. Maybe he’ll call Doyoung instead. Johnny had texted him in the evening to say he was going out with Doyoung and Yuta for dinner and then drinks at their favorite pub, and did Jaehyun wanna come with? Jaehyun had had to say no because of a dumb project meeting with a bunch of dumb teammates. So he’d had to settle for tasteless tuna sandwiches and two cups of bitter ass coffee at the library cafeteria instead of having burgers and soju bombs with his friends. 

But he’s getting distracted. Should he call Doyoung? He’s definitely a better choice than Yuta because if Johnny’s drunk, chances are that Yuta had been the main instigator. He’s probably going to be just as drunk, if not more drunk than Johnny. Besides, Doyoung is  _ always _ the designated driver. He’s been over alcohol since his first year of college so he’s bound to be sober. Or sober-ish anyway.

Right, it’s decided. He’ll call Doyoung—just as soon as he takes that long delayed piss, anyway. When he gets back from the toilet, he scrolls through his contacts till he finds the right number. Holding his breath, he makes the call. 

“Hey, Doyoung,” Jaehyun greets loudly so Doyoung can hear him over the raucous conversation and heavy bass beats in the bar.

“Jaehyunnie! What’s up?” Doyoung sounds like his usual upbeat self even though it’s almost 2am. Jaehyun takes that as a good sign.

“Is Johnny with you?” 

Doyoung sounds a little amused as he says, “Yes and no?” 

“What do you mean yes and no?!” Jaehyun tries to sound neutral but he’s not sure it’s working. 

“Well, he’s with me but he’s, um, taking a nap.”

“Jesus, how much did he drink?” The concern has definitely crept into his voice now and Jaehyun can only hope Doyoung hasn’t noticed. 

“Too much,” Doyoung scoffs. “You know he doesn’t normally get anywhere near drunk but man, he downed a shit ton of soju bombs tonight. Something must’ve been up with him. I don’t even know.”

“How about Yuta? Has he passed out too? Should I go over? Do you need help?”

“Nah. We’re good. We’ll leave as soon as Yuta is done flirting with the bartender.”

“Bartender? You mean Sicheng?” Jaehyun has known Sicheng for a while now. They have a few classes together. He’s a little shy and more than a little awkward but Jaehyun likes him and they hang out sometimes. 

“Tall, good looking kid with pink hair? Drama major?” 

“Yup, sounds like Sicheng. Um Doyoung, did Johnny say anything? Like, before he passed out?”

“He made a couple calls and then he started drunk rambling about how he’d done something really stupid. Then he passed out. Nothing too dramatic.”

“He did something stupid? That’s all he said? He didn’t say what stupid thing he did?” Jaehyun knows he’s being ridiculous but he holds his breath anyway. 

“Nah, he didn’t elaborate. Too busy passing out and all that. Okay, Yuta’s back and he’s waving his phone at me. Guess he got cute bartender’s phone number. We’re gonna bring Johnny to the car now. I’ll call you when we get to your place so you can let us in. I don’t really want to dig around in Johnny’s pockets for his keys. He’s wearing skinny jeans so like I’d rather not have to, man,” Doyoung laughs. 

“Sure. Call me when you get here.” When the call ends, Jaehyun flops backwards, his head hitting his pillow with a soft thud. It’s going to be a long night, and he isn’t even talking about waiting for the guys to get here and getting Johnny settled. 

 

_ I need to tell you how much I love you. _

 

The words rattle around his skull like vicious pebbles, just like they’ve been doing over and over since he’d set eyes on the damned message. Will Johnny even remember sending it? Obviously, he’s gonna see the message on their thread but will Johnny even remember that he’d said those words in his head as he drunk typed them to Jaehyun? If he can’t remember saying them, they don’t really count, do they? But if he hadn’t meant the words, why say them in the first place? Johnny is one of the most honest and direct people he knows. He only says things when he means them. Besides, if there’s soju involved it should technically be  _ in vino, veritas,  _ right? But then Jaehyun remembers that article claiming that alcohol was not a truth serum and he honestly doesn’t know what to think anymore.

It’s not just going to be a long night, it’s going to be a  _ hellaciously long _ one. 

  
  
  
  
  


Jaehyun pulls Johnny’s shoes off, letting them drop onto the wood floor, one by one.  Frowning, he draws the duvet over his sleeping roommate. Earlier, Yuta and Jaehyun had helped move a stumbling, semi-conscious Johnny to his bed while a panting Doyoung waited at the front door, bent over and hands on hips as he tried to regain use of his lungs. When they emerged from Johnny’s room, Doyoung was still muttering under his breath that he was never helping to carry Johnny again not even if someone paid him to do it.  

“You weren’t even doing most of the carrying and it’s not like Johnny wasn’t helping by being vertical,” Yuta had pointed out with a sarcastic roll of the eye. Jaehyun would have laughed if he hadn’t been so worried about leaving Johnny in the room on his own.

“I can’t help it Johnny Suh is a heavy ass fucker,” Doyoung argued mulishly. 

Before things could escalate, Jaehyun had cut them off with a hasty “Thanks for getting Johnny home, guys, but I really need to get back to him now before he has a chance to throw up all over his sheets. Later.” 

Yuta blanched. “Throw up? Yeah, okay you’re on your own, dude. Besides, I have a cute bartender to text.”

“Are you sure Sicheng didn’t give you a fake number?” Jaehyun couldn’t resist stirring the pot despite his urgent need to check on Johnny.

“Wait, you know Sicheng? I’ve met him a few times now. He definitely likes me. There’s no way he gave me a fake number,” Yuta had said confidently. 

“It’s not exactly easy to earn his trust, you know,” Jaehyun said as he unlocked the front door for his friends.

“No one’s ever given me a fake number before,” Yuta argued but his smug expression had faltered just a little. 

“Yeah well, there’s a first time for everything. Sicheng isn’t like you, ok? Don’t mess with him unless you’re serious.” Jaehyun had given him a warning look. Yuta is a good friend and an overall nice guy but he’s also an unapologetic flirt and Sicheng isn’t the kind to have flings.

Yuta had responded with a nervous laugh. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m serious about him.” And for what it was worth, he had looked like he actually meant it. So Jaehyun had let him off with a nod. He’d given Yuta something to think about at least.

Doyoung and Yuta had left right after that exchange so now there’s no one but Johnny and him. The only sound in the too-quiet apartment is Johnny’s snoring which is significantly louder than usual now that he’s passed out drunk. Jaehyun sits on the bed. The mattress sinks slightly beneath his weight but Johnny doesn’t even stir.

“Do you even remember sending me that text? Did you even mean any of it? Ugh. I was just sleeping and minding my own business, and now you’re the one sleeping without a care in the world  while I’m the one stressed out of my mind.  _ Asshole _ ,” Jaehyun accuses him with feeling but naturally, there’s no reaction from his roommate. Johnny looks so beautiful in the soft amber light of the bedside lamp. Jaehyun’s never had a chance to study him like this, to see how thick his lashes are, how generous his bottom lip is. Gently, he strokes Johnny’s dark, silken hair.  _ Why did you get so drunk? _

He knows he should wake Johnny up and make him drink some water or something—so he won’t feel like dying for most of tomorrow. To be honest, a small, petty part of him wants Johnny to suffer for destroying his peace of mind but he just can’t do it. He hates that he has such a soft spot for Johnny. Sighing in resignation, he reaches for the sports bottle he’d grabbed from the kitchen after letting Doyoung and Yuta out of the apartment.  

“Wake up,” he says, giving Johnny’s shoulder a gentle shake. No reaction. “Wake up,” he says again, louder and more insistently. Johnny stirs a little this time, moaning like he’s in pain. Jaehyun shakes him a little harder and Johnny groans. He slaps Johnny’s cheeks lightly in a last ditch effort to rouse him. “Drink some water, hyung. You need it.”  

“Water,” Johnny says at last, eyes still shut, and Jaehyun hands him the bottle. Johnny cracks one eye open before taking the bottle and chugging down some water. Then he’s shoving the bottle in Jaehyun’s direction and groaning again. “The room…stop it from spinning, Jae.”

“Can’t help you with that. Why’d you drink so much anyway, you dumbass?” Jaehyun doesn’t even have the heart to really sound sarcastic, not when Johnny is clearly in a world of misery right now without any help from him. 

“I-I think I was feeling sad,” Johnny mumbles vaguely, his right forearm lying across his eyes like the dim light of the bedside lamp is too much for him to bear.

“Why were you sad?” Jaehyun is equal parts curious and terrified to hear what Johnny has to say.

“It was Ten’s fault,” Johnny explains, his words coming out all slurred. 

“What did he do?” Jaehyun doesn’t know what Ten’s done to Johnny but he’s ready to throw hands. 

“I’m so tired.” Johnny’s arm snakes around Jaehyun’s waist. “So tired, Jaehyunnie,” he says as he pulls a startled Jaehyun into his arms.

“What are you doing? I’m not—this is your room, not mine. I sleep next door, remember?” Jaehyun finds his back pressed awkwardly against Johnny’s chest while his legs dangle off the edge of the mattress. 

“Stay with me. Just for tonight. Please, Jae? Just for tonight,” Johnny says in a soft, faraway voice that melts away all the half-hearted protests in Jaehyun’s head. Johnny’s holding him in a loose grip and Jaehyun can wriggle out of it with minimal effort, but the truth is that he doesn’t want to. He doesn’t want to go back to his room. He wants to stay in Johnny’s arms, in his room, on his bed.    

_ Just for tonight _ . He can do this, right? His heart will survive if Johnny wakes up with no memory of asking him to stay, right? 

“Thank you, Jaehyunnie,” Johnny says, his mouth and soju-scented breath brushing lightly against Jaehyun’s ear. Then Johnny snuggles against his back and Jaehyun can’t help thinking that their bodies fit so well together—like two halves of a perfect whole. Johnny is taller and broader than him but their bodies somehow fit together in the most perfect way. He doesn’t want this to be the only night he gets to sleep in Johnny’s arms but Jaehyun knows that this world is anything but a perfect one. 

What had Ten done to make Johnny sad? Johnny had sounded fine when he texted Jaehyun in the evening about hanging out. What had happened with Ten between 6pm and the time Johnny sent him the love confession? Johnny and Ten have been best friends for as long as Jaehyun has known Johnny but could they be more than friends? So many questions and Jaehyun isn’t sure he wants to know the answers to even half of them.   

“Thank you,” Johnny says again, all of a sudden, sounding more asleep than awake. “Thank you, Jaehyunnie,” he mumbles as his arm tightens around Jaehyun’s waist. Then Johnny nuzzles his nape and Jaehyun closes his eyes at the warm tingles running down his spine. Being in Johnny’s arms like this...it’s so good and he doesn’t want this to be the only time he gets to experience it.

“Thank you for what?” he whispers.

“For staying.” Johnny’s voice is soft, so soft and Jaehyun knows he’s fading into sleep.

“Why were you sad, hyung?” Gathering his courage, he slides his hand over Johnny’s and rubs the smooth skin on the back of his hand.

“Don’t wanna talk about that now. Wanna sleep. Need sleep.” Johnny’s nuzzling the sensitive skin at the base of his neck and Jaehyun bites back a tiny moan. 

“But we’re talking about it tomorrow, ok?”

“Ok,” Johnny snuggles closer. “Love you, Jaehyunnie,” he mumbles just before he falls asleep and the sound of gentle snoring fills the room. 

He hadn’t imagined that. Johnny had definitely told him he loved him and he had said his name, not someone else’s.  _ Love you, Jaehyunnie _ , Johnny had said in his deep, sleepy voice. Clear as day. And in that moment, Jaehyun decides that if Johnny forgets everything that happened tonight, he’s going to fucking remind him. He’s going to make sure Johnny Suh remembers every single moment if it’s the last thing he does. Jaehyun has always shied away from dealing with emotions. They’re wild and noisy and messy and he likes his life uneventful, quiet and neat. He might hate dealing with emotions but goddamnit, he’s going to confront Johnny no matter how wild, noisy and messy things get. Tomorrow will not be a repeat of New Year’s Day. 

Once he makes his mind up about confronting Johnny, it’s easy for Jaehyun to stop stressing. Johnny’s chest is warm and hard against his back and his arm is an achingly sweet weight on Jaehyun’s waist. It feels right. Being in Johnny’s arms feels right. He knows it’s too much to ask for but Jaehyun allows himself to hope that this won’t be the last time he falls asleep in Johnny’s arms. He allows himself to hope that tomorrow, they’ll fall asleep in each other’s arms again. And maybe, if he’s really lucky, Johnny might even tell him he loves him again, and this time he’ll remember saying the words because he won’t be drunk. Falling asleep in Johnny’s arms every night is something he could really get used to, Jaehyun thinks as his eyes grow heavy and he slips into dreams.  

  
  
  
  
  
  


Jaehyun closes his Business Stats textbook and stretches his arms towards the ceiling. He’d woken up an hour ago and it had taken just about all of his willpower to leave Johnny’s bed. Waking up in Johnny’s arms had been...God, he doesn’t even know how to explain. It had been exhilarating because it was everything he’d wanted for the past twelve months. But it had also been terrifying because what if Johnny had suddenly woken up and freaked out to find his roommate without benefits in his arms. Jaehyun couldn’t have dealt with the potential rejection so he’d gently disentangled himself from Johnny’s arms, tucked the covers around him, given him one last, lingering look and retreated to the safety of his own room.  

But it’s ten am now, a.k.a. way too long since Johnny’s had any solid food. He really needs the feed the guy before he gets gastric, he thinks as he heads to Johnny’s room. Once he’s there, he draws the blinds ruthlessly and Johnny groans as the sunlight hits his face. 

“Oh God. My head. Just kill me,” he groans like every word is a dagger to the chest.

“Drink,” Jaehyun orders as he thrusts the sports bottle in Johnny’s direction. Not that Johnny can see it since his head is currently buried under his pillow. 

“It feels like something crawled into my mouth and died there,” Johnny whines tragically, his voice muffled by the pillow. 

“Eight things actually. According to Doyoung, that’s how many soju bombs you apparently inhaled last night.” Jaehyun peels the pillow off of Johnny’s head and presses cool plastic against his cheek. “Drink, you dumbass.”  

“You’re being mean,” Johnny complains but he cracks an eyelid open and obediently takes the bottle from Jaehyun. 

“You deserve it,” Jaehyun glares. “Was it worth it? Drinking so much? Did you have a blast?”

“I don’t know. I can’t remember if I had a blast but I am definitely not having one right now,” Johnny admits, looking like he regrets everything.

“Really? You don’t remember  _ anything _ ?” Jaehyun had been half expecting this but it’s still a massive kick to the gut. 

“I remember drinking a lot of soju bombs and Doyoung saying I should calm the fuck down. I think Yuta was trying to pick up the pink-haired bartender? That’s it. That’s all I remember.” 

Jaehyun gives him a hard look. “You don’t remember calling or texting anyone?”

“No?” Johnny sounds sincere but there’s also a slightly guilty expression on his face, like he might be hiding something, which is very unJohnny-like behavior. Jaehyun considers confronting him about the message right away. He tries, he really tries, but something stops the words from spilling out. Maybe it’s pride. Maybe he wants Johnny to confess all on his own. And he wants him to do it of his own volition when he’s sober, not when he’s drunk. Sighing, Jaehyun decides he’ll give Johnny till midnight and then he’s going to steamroll the truth out of him. One way or the other. There is no way he’s letting Johnny get away without explaining his drunken i-love-yous. 

“Huh. Doyoung said you called and drunk texted someone and then you started rambling about how you’d done something stupid. What stupid thing did you do?”

“I-I really don’t know, Jaehyunnie. I don’t really remember anything that happened after the fifth soju bomb. I’m sure I called and texted someone since Doyoung says I did, but I honestly can’t remember who and why. All I know right now is that it feels like someone’s trying to crack my skull wide open, and I’m pretty sure sitting up will lead to my death.”

“So you don’t remember Yuta and Doyoung bringing you home?”

“No?” 

“You don’t remember Yuta and me dumping you on your bed?”

“No?”

“You don’t remember me waking you up to make you drink water?”

“No?” 

Jaehyun is so tempted to ask:  _ You don’t remember asking me to stay with you? And telling me you love me? Twice?   _ But instead, he drags his hand through his hair and asks, “You don’t remember telling me that you drank so much because you were sad?” 

“I don’t remember telling you that,” Johnny says the words slowly like his brain is trying to wade through a river of molasses. Then he starts frowning like he’s trying to connect the dots in his head. 

Jaehyun lays a hand on Johnny’s shoulder. “What did Ten tell you last night, hyung?” 

Johnny looks confused for a second before explaining. “Ten called to tell me that Taeyong and him are dating now.”

“But that’s great news, isn’t it? I’m glad it finally happened. I mean Ten’s been crushing on him for what? Two years?”

With a wistful look on his face, Johnny nods. “Yeah. It’s been two years.”

“It must have been hard.” And it must have been extra hard for Ten to keep his feelings under wraps when he’s been sharing an apartment with Taeyong for two years. In fact, they’ve been roommates as long as Johnny and him have been roommates.    

“Yeah, it was hard,” Johnny says quietly. He closes his eyes and Jaehyun feels like it has nothing to do with the room being too bright for his hungover ass.

Jaehyun narrows his eyes. “You don’t sound happy for them.”

“It’s not that,” Johnny says, eyes still closed. “It’s just...complicated.”  

“Are you in love with Ten?”

“No! We grew up together. We’re like brothers, I could never—” There’s genuine shock in Johnny’s voice and Jaehyun hates how relieved Johnny’s answer makes him feel. 

“Are you in love with Taeyong?”

“No! Ten’s in love with him. I could never, Jaehyunnie!” Johnny looks almost offended and Jaehyun feels really bad now for even suggesting it.

“Are you—” Jaehyun begins to ask but Johnny cuts him off.

“That’s enough questions for now, Jae. I’m just trying not to die here and if I don’t get food soon I’m gonna die for real. No more questions, ok?”

“Fine. But this isn’t over,” Jaehyun accedes grimly.

Johnny covers his face with his pillow and groans, “I’m not sure what  _ this _ is but whatever you say.” 

Jaehyun sighs. “What do you want to eat?”

“Something I can eat in bed? Because every time I lift my head it’s like I’m on a rollercoaster. The only problem is I’m not having any fun; I only feel like throwing up,” Johnny whines.

“How about an omelette?”

Johnny removes the pillow and looks up at Jaehyun with a hopeful expression. “Do you mean the one with button mushrooms and cheese and thinly sliced onions? The one that’s my favorite? Please, Jaehyunnie?” If he hadn’t been hungover Johnny would probably have begged and made gross cute faces till Jaehyun gave in, just to make him stop.

“You’re lucky we have all the ingredients,” Jaehyun pretends to grumble when in truth, he would happily make his roommate a dozen mushroom and cheese omelettes if only he asked. He’s about to leave the room when he decides, impulsively, to check if Johnny has a temperature. He sits on the edge of the mattress while Johnny watches him with a mixture of confusion and curiosity.

“What is it?”

“Just making sure you don’t have a temperature,” Jaehyun says reassuringly before placing the back of his hand against Johnny’s forehead. Johnny’s skin feels smooth and slightly warm against his hand. Johnny’s staring at him, his honey colored eyes filled with some emotion Jaehyun can’t identify.  

“No fever,” he announces at last as he withdraws his hand. He’s getting up to leave when Johnny grabs his arm, the contact setting a rush of tingles across his skin. 

Johnny’s voice is soft as he says, “Thank you.” Jaehyun doesn’t remember it ever sounding this soft, doesn’t remember Johnny ever sounding this tentative. About anything.

“For what?” he asks, his voice a little shaky because Johnny’s looking up at him and his gaze is so intense it’s making his heart race. 

“I don’t know. For taking care of me. For putting up with my shit.”

“Yeah, well. Just make sure you do the same for me the next time I get wasted,” Jaehyun mumbles awkwardly. Johnny’s still staring at him and for whatever reason, he hasn’t let go of Jaehyun’s arm. Johnny’s never stared at him so intently and Jaehyun wishes he could say something chill or funny, but the text from last night has made him self-conscious around his roommate . So all he does is stare back at Johnny in a way he’s never dared to do before. 

“You know I would, Jae. I would take care of you no matter what,” Johnny says before adding quickly, “I-I didn’t mean that in a weird way. I mean, don’t be weirded out, okay?” Then, Johnny seems to realize at last that he’s still holding Jaehyun’s arm. Abruptly, he releases his grip. 

Wishing Johnny hadn’t let go, Jaehyun asks, “Are you sure you can’t remember texting anyone?” 

“I really can’t. Crap. I should really check my messages.” He turns to lie on his side, his movements slow and careful like he’s trying to move his head as little as possible. “How is my ass not numb from sleeping on my phone all night,” Johnny mumbles as fishes his phone out of his back pocket. Jaehyun almost quips:  _ Your ass isn’t numb because you spent most of the night lying on your side, spooning me, you dingus _ . But he manages to hold his tongue. Just barely. 

Johnny’s staring at his phone, an expression of utter disbelief on his face. “It’s dead.”

“Give it to me.” Jaehyun takes the phone from him before connecting it to the charger at his bedside table. “Get some rest, hyung. I’ll wake you when the food is ready.”

“I should pee first. I don’t even know how I lasted this long. I don’t remember peeing before I passed out.” 

“Yuta and I took you to the toilet before we took you to your room. You were not a happy camper. You were whining non-stop about how you wanted to sleep _like RIGHT NOW, GODFUCKINGDAMNIT.”_

“Oh God, the more I know, the more I want to go into hiding for the next fifty years.”

“Anyway, we ignored you. But Yuta did ask you quite a few times to shut the fuck up.”

Johnny groans, “Oh God. He’s never going to let me live this down. I hope my aim was decent at least.”

Jaehyun chuckles. “Yuta said if you fell asleep, there was no way in hell he was going to hold your dick to make sure you didn't pee on the floor. So he made you pull your pants down and sit on the toilet. Then he yelled at you to  _ fucking pee, man! _ And you did, thank fuck. You even managed to get your pants back on all by yourself. You were swaying though, so we had to prop you up. Yuta had to help you with the zipper because it was too much for your drunk ass to figure out.” Jaehyun doesn’t add that he had had to bribe Yuta to take care of the zipper.  Having his hands anywhere near Johnny’s dick had seemed like a really bad idea so he’d had to convince Yuta to zip Johnny’s fly up. Yuta would have been perfectly happy to leave Johnny’s fly open so Jaehyun had had to dangle a free meal in front of him before he agreed to do it.

Johnny’s face and ears have flushed an endearing shade of pink by the time Jaehyun finishes recounting the scene in the toilet. “Oh Jesus. I can’t believe Nakamoto got that close to my dick. We’re like bros, man. That’s just… _ so _ wrong on  _ so _ many levels. I’m never getting that wasted again. I’m not allowed to take more than four soju bombs at a time from now onwards, ok? You have to stop me, Jaehyunnie.”

“When have you ever listened to me?” Jaehyun scoffs before standing up. “Anyway, I’m going to go fry up that omelette. Drink some more water and  _ rest _ .”

“Rest sounds good right now,” Johnny says, covering his eyes with his forearm to block out the sunlight that’s blanketed every inch of the room. Sighing at his too soft heart, Jaehyun walks over to the window to draw the blinds.

“Thanks, Jaehyunnie.” Johnny’s voice is subdued. He must feel like utter crap, Jaehyun thinks, and his heart aches for Johnny. Just a little bit. “Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone,” he warns.

“I couldn’t even if I tried,” Johnny mutters dramatically. “I’m just trying not to die before noon, man.”

Jaehyun sighs deeply but decides to spare him the sarcasm. “Rest,” he reminds Johnny as he stops and stands in the doorway. But the other man’s breathing has already assumed the steady rhythms of sleep. So much for Johnny’s grand plans to take a piss, he thinks as he walks out the door.

  
  
  
  


“Thanks for this,” Johnny says as he hands Jaehyun the mostly empty plate and fork. “I love how you make this. I wish I could have done it more justice today. I feel less like death now that I’ve peed, brushed my teeth, showered and eaten but damn, my tummy is still kind of tender.”

Jaehyun stacks the plate on top of his own empty one on the bedside table. Then he gives Johnny an amused smile before declaring, “No more soju bombs for a while.” 

“No more soju bombs  _ forever _ , you mean!”

“You know that’s complete and utter BS, Johnny Suh,” he says dismissively before settling himself more comfortably on the edge of his roommate’s bed.

Johnny pouts. “Let me live, Jaehyunnie.”

Ignoring him, Jaehyun starts playing with the upper corner of Johnny’s navy blue quilt. He rubs it between his thumb and index finger for a few seconds before asking Johnny if he’s checked his messages.

“No,” he sighs. “I’m not really ready to face the world yet? You know I feel guilty if I don’t reply messages once I’ve read them, right? Well, I’m pretty sure I can’t, like, sentence right now. Like, it would require more brain cells than I currently possess. I already feel like shit as it is; I don’t need to add guilt to that pile of yuck.”

“But people who saw you pass out at the bar last night might be worried.”

“You’re literally the only person who would care and you know exactly where and how I am.” Johnny grins so hard the dimple in his left cheek appears, the one that only shows up when Johnny is honest-to-God happy. Jaehyun loves that dimple. Too much. 

“But—” 

“Would you read to me?”

“What?” Jaehyun asks, astonished by the request. 

“It’s been so long since you’ve read to me,” Johnny says in a quiet tone he rarely uses. 

“I can’t believe you even remember that happened. You had such a bad case of the flu that one time and you were so doped up on meds I didn’t think you’d even recall it ever happened.”

“But I love your voice, and  _ A Man Called Ove _ is my favorite book. Of course, I remember, Jae.” Then he looks away, like he’s embarrassed for admitting that much. Johnny is one of the most self-confident people Jaehyun knows so his reaction is very…out of character. But then again, today seems to be quite the day for un-Johnnylike behavior.

“What do you want me to read to you?” Jaehyun asks at last and Johnny smiles before reaching over to pull his bedside drawer open. With a grin, he holds up a slim and slightly battered book. It’s a Haruki Murakami novel. Jaehyun squints as he tries to make out the title:  _ Pinball, 1973 _ .  He’s never heard of it. Jaehyun’s heard of Murakami of course; who hasn’t? But he’s never tried reading anything by him because he’s always felt like it might all be too profound for someone like himself— someone who doesn’t think too deeply about things, someone who isn’t real good with words. But Johnny…Johnny’s always been a reader. He had told Jaehyun once that he liked when words were “strung beautifully together” or some fancy ass shit like that. So Jaehyun isn’t even surprised he’s got a Murakami novel tucked inside his bedside drawer.

Johnny gives him a hopeful look. “Will you read it?” 

“Sure,” Jaehyun smiles. 

Johnny removes the neatly folded grocery receipt he’s using as a bookmark and asks, “Can you start on this page?” 

Jaehyun nods, taking the book from him and switching the bedside lamp on. He’s about to start reading when Johnny makes him get on the bed properly and lean back against one of his pillows. Johnny has a roomy, queen-sized bed because single beds are too confining for his too long, too large frame. It’s probably not wise to climb into bed with your crush but Jaehyun is long past caring whether he’s making wise or unwise decisions. So that’s how he finds himself half-reclining on Johnny’s bed on a Saturday morning while Johnny lies, stretched out beside him, gazing at him expectantly. Telling himself not to be nervous, Jaehyun swallows his saliva and begins to read. 

“The Rat met her for the first time at the beginning of September, when the sky still held a hint of summer’s brilliance—” He keeps his eyes trained on the page before him, but in his periphery, he can see Johnny watching him with a soft smile on his lips. It’s distracting and it’s making his heart flutter but Jaehyun somehow manages to calm himself and carry on reading. 

  
  
  


  
  
  


“On any given day, something can come along and steal our hearts. It may be any old thing: a rosebud, a lost cap, a favorite sweater from childhood, an old Gene Pitney record. A miscellany of trivia with no home to call their own. Lingering for two or three days, that something soon disappears, returning to the darkness. There are wells, deep wells, dug in our hearts. Birds fly over them—” Jaehyun is about to read the next sentence when an arm flops across his stomach and a head burrows against his side. 

For the next few seconds, Jaehyun doesn’t dare move, doesn’t dare breathe. “Hyung?” he says softly but there’s no response. He finally allows himself to look down. Johnny’s eyes are closed, his chest rising and falling in the cadence of sleep. His right cheek and nose are pressed against Jaehyun’s arm and he can’t believe this is happening. Jaehyun knows he has only two options right now. He can either scooch over to the right and make his escape, or he can put the book down and take a nap with Johnny. Taking a deep breath, he slips the grocery receipt in between pages 86 and 87. Then he shuts the book, sets it carefully down on the bedside table and turns off the lamp. 

What’s he going to do now? Just lie there, stiff as a board? Or snuggle up against Johnny?  _ It’s not too late to run, Jung Jaehyun _ , he tells himself but he knows that’s a goddamned lie. It’s too late for him now. It’s far too late. Slowly, he turns onto his side so he’s facing Johnny, their foreheads and noses almost touching. 

As he stares at the beautiful curve of Johnny’s mouth, he thinks about the words he’d read out just a while ago.  _ On any given day, something can come along and steal our hearts _ . What was the “something” that had come along and stolen Jaehyun’s heart? Had it been the kiss at New Year’s? Had it been Johnny’s goofy grin after he’d kissed Jaehyun on the mouth? Or had it been any number of little things Johnny had done in the two years they’d lived together? The way he always plays Jaehyun’s favorite songs when they’re in the car. The way he curls up on any chair he sits on like he’s only five feet nothing instead of six feet two. The way he makes coffee and snacks for Jaehyun when he’s pulling an all-nighter for an exam. It could be any number of little things—Jaehyun just isn’t sure. All he knows with certainty is that his heart has belonged to Johnny since the fireworks had lit up the sky on the first day of the new year.  

“Sleep now, hyung,” Jaehyun whispers as his fingertips trail across Johnny’s cheek. “Sleep now because we’re going to talk about this when you wake up. No matter what.” After the rough night he’s had, Jaehyun is more than ready to surrender to sleep. Too tired to care about the consequences, he snuggles a little closer to Johnny and closes his eyes.

  
  
  
  
  
  


Jaehyun can hear Johnny’s deep voice calling him. He knows he should listen to what his hyung is saying but Johnny is so solid and warm and nice against him that he doesn’t want to move, doesn’t want the dream to end. So he ignores Johnny’s deep, deep voice.

“Wake up, Jaehyunnie,” he says again, and this time his hand is gently shaking Jaehyun’s shoulder.

“Don’t want to,” Jaehyun mutters under his breath, as he tries to snuggle closer to Johnny’s warmth. Then he feels Johnny’s arm settle around his shoulders, ever so tentatively. 

“We need to talk,” Johnny says, and his voice is serious, so serious that Jaehyun forces himself to open his eyes. Talk. Yes, they needed to talk. Johnny’s sitting up on his side of the bed; his arm is still curled around Jaehyun’s shoulders but there’s too much space between them now. Jaehyun doesn’t like it. 

“I-I need a moment,” Jaehyun says, his voice thick with sleep. 

“Okay,” Johnny agrees but he sounds worried. Had he checked his messages? He must have checked his goddamned messages.

“Have you checked your messages,” Jaehyun asks for what seems like the hundredth time that day. 

“No. I haven’t switched my phone on. Why do you keep asking me about my messages? Did you send me one?” Johnny eyes him suspiciously and Jaehyun almost chokes at the irony.

“Maybe I did? But that’s not even the point,” Jaehyun says cryptically and Johnny gives him a strange look. Should he sit up, he wonders as he rubs the sleep out of his eyes. It sounds like a shit serious talk he should probably sit up for it, but damnit, he’s too fucking tired to move. “Ok. I’m ready. Sorta. So talk.”

“There’s something I—” Johnny begins to say but then he makes a frustrated sigh as he drags his hand through his hair. He’s overdue for a haircut but Jaehyun loves the long fringe on Johnny, loves the way it falls softly over his forehead. “Ahhh, this was a lot easier when I practiced it in my head.”

“Take your time, hyung,” Jaehyun says, giving him what he hopes is an encouraging smile. 

“This morning, you asked me why I didn’t sound happy that Ten and Taeyong got together. Do you remember?”

“Sure I do. You said it was complicated. Are you going to tell me why now?” 

“It’s, I—” Johnny runs out of words again and this is, without a doubt, the most un-Johnnylike thing that’s happened today. Johnny always has the best words for any kind of occasion. He never runs out of words. Never. 

“You know what? My neck is starting to ache from looking up at you, hyung. Can you like, lie down?” Jaehyun grabs hold of Johnny’s right arm and gives it a downward tug. Johnny hesitates for only a second before sliding down so that he’s lying beside him. Johnny stares resolutely at the ceiling though, like he’s afraid to make eye contact with Jaehyun, like he’s afraid to get too close to him. “So, why did talking to Ten make you sad, hyung?”

“Not sad exactly,” Johnny clarifies.

“You told me last night that you got drunk because you were sad and that it was Ten’s fault you were sad.”

“I said that?” Johnny sounds mortified.

“Why were you sad, hyung?” Jaehyun asks firmly.

Johnny bites his bottom lip, looking like he’s trying to decide how much to reveal. Finally, he says, “You see, Ten and me, we made a pact a couple years back.”

“What about?” Jaehyun flips slowly onto his tummy so he can see Johnny better. At this point, he doesn’t care if the eye contact makes Johnny uneasy. He just wants the man to spit out the truth so they can both get on with their lives.

“Unrequited love,” Johnny admits in a quiet voice. 

“So Ten was in love with Taeyong and now they’re together? So it’s no longer unrequited love, is it?” Jaehyun probes gently, the pieces starting to fall into place in his head. 

“Pretty much, yeah,” Johnny says before looking away. 

“What was the pact?”

“That if one of us confessed to the person they loved, the other would have to do it too. Like...within a space of forty-eight hours. That was the pact.” Johnny rests his forearm over his eyes like he’s trying to keep the world and life at bay.

“Who do you love, hyung?” Jaehyun grips Johnny’s forearm and pulls it away from Johnny’s face. “Look at me,” he orders and Johnny opens his eyes reluctantly.  “Who do you love?”

It’s still dim in the room but Jaehyun could swear Johnny’s blushing. “I—I can’t do this, Jae,” he says, looking miserable. But Jaehyun isn’t going to let him wriggle out of this, not when he’s this close to telling him for real.

He takes Johnny’s large, large hands in his and they’re cool to the touch. Johnny’s hands are cold most of the time. About six months after they became roommates, Jaehyun had asked Johnny why his hands always felt so cold, and Johnny had joked that people with cold hands had the warmest hearts. Jaehyun had told him he was full of shit but it had turned out the joke was on him. Johnny had only been telling the truth because other than Jaehyun’s mom, he really is the kindest person Jaehyun knows and the most caring. He squeezes Johnny’s cold and slightly shaky hands and asks once again, “Who do you love, Johnny Suh?”

For the next few seconds, they just stare silently at each other. 

And just when Jaehyun is about to give up hope, Johnny confesses. “It’s you, Jaehyunnie. You’re the one I love.” Then he closes his eyes, like he can’t bear the weight of Jaehyun’s gaze. “I know we’re roommates and this just made things hella awkward but I’ve been keeping this inside for so long and I just...I had to tell you, Jae. I’m sorry,” he finishes with a melancholy half smile.

Jaehyun sighs deeply, still holding on tight to Johnny’s hands. “Why are you sorry?”  

“Because it’s unrequited love?”

“Whatever gave you that idea, you dingus?”

“It’s not?”

“It took me a while to figure things out but when you kissed me on New Year’s Day...well, there was no turning back from that.”

“Wait, what? I kissed you?!” Johnny’s expression is pure what-the-fuck and Jaehyun has to struggle not to laugh. This is definitely turning out to be the least romantic confession in the history of love confessions, but Jaehyun will take it. At least Johnny is sober and this time he’ll actually remember confessing his love for him.

“You really need to stop getting wasted, hyung. Your whole life is passing you by,” Jaehyun chuckles and the tension of the past few minutes evaporates as Johnny smiles for the first time since Jaehyun had been roused from his nap.

“I guess I do,” Johnny grins sheepishly. “So, um, I kissed you on New Year’s?” 

“You did. On the mouth, at midnight. But you didn’t use any tongue,” Jaehyun says with a teasing grin. 

“Oh God, I want to die,” Johnny groans, covering his face with his pillow in embarrassment. He eventually removes the pillow, though. “I can’t believe I kissed the boy I love and I can’t remember what it felt like. I wanna kick myself so bad.”

“I guess you’ll just have to kiss me again, then. For science,” Jaehyun chuckles, scooching over so he’s closer to Johnny now. They’re both lying on their sides, facing each other and Jaehyun longs so much to touch Johnny and to be touched by him.   

“I…I guess I’ll have to,” Johnny agrees, “for science.” And then his thumb is resting on Jaehyun’s jaw and his fingers curling around Jaehyun’s nape. “I love you, Jaehyunnie,” Johnny says quietly just before his mouth slides over Jaehyun’s. The soft press of Johnny’s lips against his own feels so right and it’s as natural as breathing when Jaehyun’s mouth parts and Johnny’s tongue slips gently inside. 

“I love you, too, hyung,” Jaehyun says in between kisses and Johnny’s arms tighten around him, pulling him closer and leaving kisses along the rise and fall of his collarbones. They make out for what feels like ten minutes and when they finally stop for air, they stay in each other’s arms, foreheads touching as they breathe and hold hands and will their hearts to stop racing. 

“I won’t forget kissing you this time. I promise,” Johnny grins.

“I’d whoop your ass if you did,” Jaehyun mock threatens and they both burst into relieved and happy laughter.

“Thank you,” Johnny says, turning serious all of a sudden as he cups Jaehyun’s cheek.

“For what?”

“For letting me kiss you. For loving me back. For reading to me, For not consigning me to a lifetime of unrequited love.”

“Well, technically, it hasn’t been unrequited love for at least a year.”

“You could have told me earlier,” Johnny complains.

“But it’s so much more dramatic this way,” Jaehyun says, chuckling.

“But we wasted so much time!”

“Guess we’ll just have to make up for lost time then, hyung.” Jaehyun leans in towards Johnny and then they’re kissing again. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


It’s barely ten pm and they’re snuggled under Johnny’s navy blue quilt. It’s a cool, spring night and Jaehyun is so glad he’s pressed against Johnny’s warm back. His hands may be cool to the touch most of the time but the rest of Johnny’s body is wonderfully warm. Jaehyun breathes in the delicious scent of laundry detergent, lemony soap and Johnny and sighs in contentment. He doesn’t know how he got this lucky in the space of less than twenty-four hours but he’s not going to question fate. He’d expected things to be a little weird between them but they’ve been blessedly normal, thank God. So far, anyway. They’re still giving each other shit like they’ve always done, except now they also get to kiss, hold hands and snuggle. He really did get lucky. 

Drawing tiny circles on Johnny’s shoulder blades, Jaehyun asks, “Don’t you think it’s time you checked your messages? Your phone’s been off all day.”

“But I don’t feel like replying messages,” he grumbles. 

“You can just pick one message to read so you’ll only have the one to reply,” Jaehyun persists. 

“Or I could just leave my phone off and deal with everything tomorrow.”

“Please, hyung? For me.”

Johnny gives a long suffering sigh before reaching for his phone. They lie on the bed side-by-side, heads touching as Johnny powers up his phone. When it’s finally back online, Johnny checks his text notifications. There are notifications from Doyoung and Yuta and a few from people whose names Jaehyun doesn’t recognize. Johnny keeps on scrolling till he sees the only notification Jaehyun cares about. 

  
  


**Jung Jaehyun** 2:31 AM

1 iMessage

  
  


Johnny stares at him curiously. “You sent me a message in the middle of the night? Why?”

Jaehyun makes a frustrated noise. “Just open the damn thing, Johnny Suh, ohmygod.” Looking far too amused, Johnny clicks on the notification and his jaw goes slack with shock. He really hasn’t been having the easiest day and Jaehyun almost feels sorry for him. 

  
  


**Johnny Suh** **Today** 1:51 AM

are you awake?

please be awake. Im drunk and i need to tell you how much i love you

 

**Jung Jaehyun** **Today**      2:31 AM

I’m not drunk but maybe I love you too

  
  


“You were the one I drunk texted last night? I told you I loved you? You knew all along and you just let me make a fool of myself? I can’t believe you, Jung Jaehyun!” Johnny aims a light punch at his shoulder and Jaehyun laughs as he tries to dodge it.

“You were drunk! How was I supposed to know if you were just shitting me? And you couldn’t even remember texting me. What was I supposed to say? By the way, do you remember telling me last night that you love me?”

“You could have said  _ something _ . You knew I was dying,” Johnny pouts.

“I could have,” Jaehyun agrees, “but what if that message had been for someone else? What if you sent it to me by accident?”

“I would never have done that,” Johnny protests and Jaehyun side-eyes him.

“You don’t even remember drunk texting anyone. Your word can’t be trusted.”

“I guess that’s a fair point,” Johnny admits, his expression contrite.  

“If you’d just checked your messages this morning when I asked you to, you wouldn’t have had to confess to me a second time,” Jaehyun teases as he settles himself comfortably against Johnny, his cheek resting on Johnny’s chest and his arm draped over his stomach.  

“I had a brutal hangover, Jae. I didn’t have a single functioning brain cell.”

“I’m glad you didn’t because a sober confession beats a drunk one anytime,” Jaehyun declares. “Anyway, you definitely saw your messages but did you see mine?”

“Yes. Yes, I did,” Johnny says in a soft voice before leaning over to kiss Jaehyun on the lips. “I don’t deserve you.”

Jaehyun’s palm covers Johnny’s mouth for just a second “Stop.” 

“It’s true,” Johnny says as he gathers Jaehyun closer. “I know we just…you know sorted things out but you’re staying here, aren’t you? Stay with me, Jaehyunnie.”

“That’s what you said last night,” Jaehyun chuckles before mimicking Johnny’s sleepy, drunken voice, “Stay with me, Jaehyunnie. Just for tonight.”

“I said that?” Johnny says, a slow grin forming on his face.

“You did.”

“Did you stay?”

“Yes,” Jaehyun grins.

“Did I...um, touch you inappropriately when I was drunk?”

“I should be so lucky,” Jaehyun snorts.

“That’s—you can’t say shit like that, Jaehyunnie!” The tips of Johnny’s ears are turning a distinct shade of red and Jaehyun is hopelessly endeared.

Giving Johnny a sly grin, Jaehyun says, “Why not? If I don’t tell you what I want it might take you another two years and two hangovers to tell me you want to jump my bones.” 

“Bold of you to assume I could wait two years to jump your bones,” Johnny gives him an equally sly grin. Then his expression turns soft. “Stay with me? And not just for tonight. Like, stay with me every night.”

Jaehyun traces the contours of Johnny’s collarbones, the skin warm and smooth beneath his fingertips. “I don’t know, hyung. My bed is really comfortable.”  

“But mine is bigger. And my bed has me. I can keep you warm in the winter months and I give free hugs. And kisses.”

Jaehyun shrugs nonchalantly. “Sounds like a pretty decent deal, I guess.”

Johnny chuckles in exasperation. “You’re too sassy for your own good, Jung Jaehyun.”

“Will you touch me inappropriately at some point if I stay?” Jaehyun asks innocently and Johnny can’t help but laugh. His left dimple appears and Jaehyun loves that he can just reach out and touch it now that they’re no longer just roommates.

“Yes, Jaehyunnie. I solemnly swear that I will jump your bones at some point and that you won’t have to wait two years and two hangovers for me to get to it.” 

“I guess I’ll stay then,” Jaehyun smiles. 

“I’d like to take you on proper dates first, though. Take you for walks on the beach. Hold hands. Eat ice-cream on the pier. Watch movies together at the cinema. Just, you know, cheesy boyfriend things I’ve dreamt of doing with you since I fell for you two years ago.”

“I didn’t know you were such a...romantic, hyung,” Jaehyun teases.

“It’s okay, Jaehyunnie, I know you think I’m a sap. You can call me a sap if you want as long as we get to do all those things at least  _ once _ . Just let me live the dream at least once, okay?”

“Okay but just once,” he says reluctantly (as if he hasn’t dreamt of doing some of the same things with Johnny over the past year). 

They chat for a little while about what they’re going to do on Sunday. Jaehyun has to work on his group assignment and Johnny has a couple lab reports he needs to write up. Then they talk about how they’ll spend the rest of Sunday. It’s all very domestic but it’s not so very different from how they’ve talked in the past, except now their bodies are entwined and their faces so close together that Jaehyun can stroke the pretty little mole on Johnny’s left cheek and the larger one that usually lies hidden beneath his jaw. 

“We should sleep. I have to wake up early to work on that group assignment since I slept most of today away. No thanks to you, Hangover Boy.” Jaehyun throws him an accusing look. 

“Rude. But no argument from me about going to bed. Need to sleep off this headache,” Johnny says as he turns the bedside lamp off. “‘Night, Jae,” he says just before their mouths meet in a slow, tender kiss. Then, there’s the rustling of sheets as Johnny spreads the quilt over themselves before spooning him from behind. 

“‘Night, hyung,” Jaehyun says as he snuggles comfortably into Johnny’s embrace. One strong arm settles around his waist while his own fingers curl around Johnny’s hand. He’s never been the kind to cling to others but he loves the gravity of Johnny’s arm pushing down on him, and he loves the citrusy, masculine scent of his skin.  As his eyelids grow heavier, Jaehyun decides that being with Johnny feels right. It doesn’t matter if he has to deal with wild, noisy emotions further down the road because  _ being with Johnny feels right _ . 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! Thank you for reading this bit of silliness. I've had so many johnjae feels in the past few months and I just had to write the feels even though I should really be working on other WIPs. So I told myself that I would write a drabble of about 800 words. And yet here we are, 9.5k words later. I really enjoyed writing this and I hope you guys enjoyed reading it too. I would love to know how you feel about the story and I hope you'll leave a comment and kudo and maybe rec it to a friend. Thanks again for reading and please love johnjae!
> 
> Come talk to me on [twitter](http://www.twitter.com/glitterlatte) or [curiouscat](https://curiouscat.me/lotusk).


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